Autonomous camera having exchangable behaviours

ABSTRACT

An exemplary embodiment is a camera that includes a behaviour controller which controls the output of behaviours from the camera and the input of behaviours into the camera.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an autonomous camera having a mechanismfor uploading and downloading camera behaviours.

BACKGROUND

The role of being a camera operator can often leave the user detachedfrom the very event that they are trying to capture. Thus rather thanparticipating in a family event, such as a wedding, attending a sportingevent, or enjoying a holiday some people become so engrossed by theprocess of capturing these events on their camera that they don't trulyparticipate in the event and merely observe the majority of the eventthrough the view finder of the camera.

It has been proposed in the scientific literature to provide wearablecameras, see for example Stamer, Schiele and Pentland, “VisualContextual Awareness in Wearable Computing”, 2nd International Symposiumon Wearable Computers October 1998. Such a wearable camera is able tocontinually monitor the environment around a person and to capturescenes from it. Such a camera could, of course, be operated by the userbut it is preferable that the camera is continually active and analysesthe scenes that it has acquired in order to determine whether or not theimage is “interesting”. In this context “interesting” means that itwould be of interest to the camera's owner.

Wearable cameras have no innate understanding of the environment aroundthem. They therefore need to be trained to understand the visual (andother) clues presented to the camera in order to determine what images auser would like or prefer to be captured. The “rules” which a camera canapply in order to determine whether it should store an image can beconsidered as “behaviours”. The behaviours that a camera should applycan vary depending on the position of the camera and the activity thatthe camera is viewing. Thus if the wearable camera were attached to askier, then the chances are that interesting images would include thosewhere other objects were reasonably close to the skier. However if thecamera were attached to a hill-walker, then it is likely that panoramicviews of scenery would be preferred. Furthermore, if a camera which hada behaviour suitable for skiing were to be used inside a shopping mallor supermarket then it is likely that almost all images would satisfythe condition of having objects sufficiently close for them to beconsidered interesting and hence the camera would be unlikely to show asufficient level of discrimination and would probably capture imagesrelating to nearly all of the time that the wearer was in thesupermarket environment.

A teachable camera is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,835 assigned toEastman Kodak Company. The teachable camera includes a template matchingneural network which is responsive to inputs such as a focus sensor, anexposure sensor, a motion sensor and a flash control sensor, and also toa camera microprocessor, and which alters the performance of camerafunctions such as camera flash, shutter speed, lens focus, and apertureso that the camera characteristics are suited to the picturecharacteristics desired by the photographer. The neural network templatecan be altered by a rule based expert system executing on a personalcomputer.

Workers, such as Clarkson and Pentland in “Unsupervised Clustering ofAmbulatory Audio and Video” proceedings of the International Conferenceof Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, Phoenix, Ariz., 1998, havedisclosed a wearable camera which has used hidden markov models in orderto determine the nature of the environment surrounding the camera. Thus,a camera having knowledge of the sort of images that it would see in avideo store has successfully been demonstrated when it has enteredanother video store and is able to separate this environment from otherevents.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments provide a system and method of an image capturedevice comprising a behaviour memory that stores at least one behaviourcontrolling automated image analysis and capture of images by thecamera, and a behaviour controller that controls output of behavioursfrom the behaviour memory

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will further be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the components inside an autonomouswearable camera constituting an embodiment;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates communication between two cameras;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates communication between a camera and anevent beacon;

FIG. 4 illustrates the process for downloading behaviours from abehaviour library;

FIG. 5 illustrates a menu presented to a user for selecting behaviours;and

FIGS. 6-10 illustrate flow diagrams for controlling operation of one ormore camera behaviours in various exemplary embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to a first aspect of one embodiment there is provided a camerahaving a behaviour memory for storing at least one behaviour forcontrolling automated image analysis and capture of images by thecamera, and a behaviour controller for controlling output of behavioursfrom the behaviour memory.

It is thus possible to provide an automated camera where an existingbehaviour may be uploaded or saved for future use, or transferred to asimilar camera having a behaviour memory.

Advantageously, the behaviour controller also controls input ofbehaviours to the behaviour memory, so that behaviours can be downloadedor received from further cameras, which are adapted to providebehaviours to the behaviour memory. The further cameras may also be ableto receive behaviours in a similar fashion.

As noted hereinbefore, various embodiments of a camera can be arrangedto take pictures autonomously, or at least semi-autonomously. Howeverthe rules governing the operation of the camera may need to changedepending on the event that is being observed by the camera. These rulescan effect not only the aesthetic considerations concerning the sceneviewed by the camera, but also technical considerations to be taken intoaccount when capturing that scene. Suppose, for example, that someonewearing a portable autonomous camera enters a tennis court. Supposingthat the wearer is situated in the stands then-it can be appreciatedthat one rule implemented within the camera may indicate that picturesare only to be captured, or subjected to further rule processing, whenthe court is framed in the central region of the picture captured by thecamera. This could be achieved by requiring the overall image to have ahigh green content corresponding to grass at a lawn tennis court or ahigh red content corresponding to the playing surface of a clay court.Furthermore, the behaviour of the camera may be such that flashphotography is inhibited when at a tennis court irrespective of theambient level of illumination.

In one embodiment, the camera controller is responsive to indications ofgeographical position in order to cause modification of the camerabehaviour to occur. The behaviour controller may, for example, beresponsive to beacons placed in the vicinity of an event that may beobserved or “consumed” by the camera and its wearer. Thus, returning tothe example of the tennis match, beacons may be placed around theperiphery of the tennis court in order to provide information to thecamera that it is in the vicinity of the tennis court. The informationprovided by the beacons may include not only locational details, but mayalso include a voluntary behaviour and even a mandatory behaviour. Themandatory behaviour may, for example, be to cause the flash photographyfunction of the camera to be inhibited during the time that the cameraremains in communication with the beacon, until such time as theinhibition instruction is removed, or until a predetermined period oftime has elapsed. These mandatory instructions may therefore be used tomodify camera behaviour in accordance with an event organisers wishes.Thus, if the camera was at a wedding, for example a celebrity wedding,the bride may have concealed about her person a beacon which, dependingupon her personal preferences, may either ensure that she is excludedfrom all images, or included in all images. The mandatory instructionsmay, of course, be associated with camera or user identifications suchthat different mandatory instructions can be sent to the differentcameras. Thus authorised photographers may be able to program theircameras to ignore the mandatory instructions whereas all other users maybe compelled to obey them.

Voluntary behaviours may also be made available to the camera in someembodiments. A behaviour is voluntary because the camera owner or userhas a choice as to whether the camera operates in accordance with thevoluntary behaviour or not. The user may set their camera such that itautomatically accepts voluntary behaviours and modifies its performanceaccordingly. Alternatively, the user may set the camera such that italerts them that an offer of a voluntary behaviour has been made. Thecamera may then use a display or other communication device in order toprovide a summary or commentary on the behaviour that has been offered.This gives the user sufficient information to decide whether to downloadthe voluntary behaviour or not. Thus, in the case of a sporting eventhaving beacons, the beacons may offer behaviour downloads that areintended to enhance the camera's performance to capture exciting orrelevant images relating to that sporting event.

Additionally and/or alternatively, camera embodiments may be responsiveto other positioning systems, such as a GPS transceiver which enablesthe camera to accurately determine its geographical position. Thepresence of a camera within a specific region, or the absence of thecamera within a region, may be arranged to invoke one or morepredetermined behaviours. Thus, if the camera determines from itsgeographic position that it is at sea, then it can download behaviourswhich serve to ensure that the camera does not capture endless images ofwaves rolling towards it, but instead becomes sensitised to otherfeatures, such as capturing images aboard a ship or images of marinelife. Furthermore the technical behaviour of the camera may also bevaried and thus, for example, a polarising or other suitable filter mayautomatically be included within the optical path of the camera so as toreduce glare from the surface of the sea.

Different behaviours can thus be devised for different situations andpositions. Whilst it may be feasible for a camera user to train thecamera, it is far more convenient for the user to be able to download orotherwise import camera behaviour control programs or programs fromother sources. Thus libraries of camera behaviours can be created andthese libraries can be made accessible to users, either on a free orpaying basis, as appropriate, in order that users can customise theresponse of their camera for particular situations. Such librarydownloads may be achieved by establishing communication with a behaviourlibrary server over a mobile telecommunications device which may beexternal to the camera. An exemplary device would be a mobile telephonewith an infrared link which could communicate with the camera via thecamera's infrared link or via some other communications media such as aBluetooth. Alternatively, the camera embodiments may have atelecommunications device integrated with it, or alternatively atelecommunications device may have a camera included within it. Mobiletelephones having cameras integrated therein are already commerciallyavailable. Furthermore other hand held computing devices such aspersonal digital assistants may also include the necessary functionalityor have integrated therein both an imaging element and atelecommunications element.

The library may require the user or their camera embodiments toauthenticate their identity by revealing a shared secret such as apassword or even biometric data. An electronic camera is particularlysuited for user identifications based on iris pattern since the cameraalready includes a high resolution imaging device.

A user may develop their own camera behaviour or modify camerabehaviours and save these within the library, possibly within their ownrestricted space or to other behaviour stores. Such modified behaviours,or indeed behaviours in general, may include private sub-behaviourswhich a user may wish to be held secret and will not be disclosed. Suchprivate or secret behaviours may be to seek to include or excludeparticular people from image capture. Use of secure computing platforms,such as platforms in accordance with the Trusted Computing PlatformAlliance (TCPA) architecture may be used in order to ensure that secretswithin the behaviours are not made available to an unauthorised user orcannot be subverted for other purposes. The TCPA specification can befound at www.trustedcomputing.org.

The instructions for controlling the camera behaviour are provided inmachine independent format such that the same behaviour can be used onany suitably enabled camera irrespective of its manufacturer or internalcomputing devices. Thus the instructions could be written in a mark-uplanguage, for example XML, and interpreted within the camera.

One embodiment of a camera includes a long term image store for storingthe images that it deems appropriate to capture. The camera may alsoinclude a short term image store, or buffer, in which the last fewminutes of images are temporarily stored. Thus use of the buffer enablesa user to intervene to select a recently required image for storage. Thebuffer also enables the camera to perform analysis of the evolution ofevents in order to determine which of these events are likely to beinteresting. Thus, for example, if a camera was operating with a newsgathering or “reporter” behaviour and it determined from its imageanalysis that someone was lying on the ground, possibly with others inattendance or with blood being visible, then the camera embodimentscould interrogate the buffer memory in order to capture either a seriesof stills or a movie clip leading up to the relevant event.

Camera embodiments may be operable to generate still images and movingimages of its environment.

Camera embodiments may include additional sensors. Such sensors mayinclude a microphone, motion sensors, or even biometric sensors, such asa heart rate sensor and direction of look sensors in order to obtaincues from the camera wearer. The microphone can be used to associate anaudio track with a moving or still image. However the microphone alsoprovides an input to the behaviour processor in order to enable it todetermine what images are likely to be interesting. Thus, the sound of agunshot would be significant to the news gathering behaviour discussedabove, whereas the sound of a ball on a racket and the cheering or roarof a crowd can be used by a “tennis match” behaviour in order todetermine when a significant event may have occurred within a tennismatch.

Motion of the user's head may also be used as an input to cameraembodiments. Workers, such as Langton, Watt and Bruce “Do the Eyes haveit? Cue to the Direction of Social Attention”, Trends in CognitiveNeuroscience, 4(2):50-59, 2000, proposed four modes of observation usedby humans. These include an “intentionality detector” which is amechanism associated with self propelled motion such as reaching for apen or moving towards a sofa and are detected in terms of a dyadicrelationship (a desire or a goal) between a self propelled object andanother one. An eye direction detector, or direction of gaze detector isalso an important visual cue since users will generally fixate forlonger on an item that is of particular interest to them. These useractions can give the camera information that it can use to determine ifan “interesting” image currently exists. Other biometric data such asincreased heart rate or skin conductivity may also be used as cues, forexample, to show that the wearer is excited.

The behaviours may also describe when a camera embodiment is mostdefinitely not to take and store any images. Consider a person who hasbeen wearing a camera embodiment all day for whatever reason. It islikely that during this time they will have needed to visit a lavatory.It would generally be considered undesirable to capture images insidethe lavatory and hence specific behaviour models may be invoked in orderto inhibit the image sensors of the camera, or lavatory beacons may beprovided in or adjacent to such facilities. For commonly usedbehaviours, such as the lavatory behaviour, the behaviours may bepermanently stored within part of the behaviour memory such that theycan be invoked at any time. Such behaviours may be associated with acode, such as a bar code or colour pattern code which may be displayedin or adjacent to lavatories in order to invoke the required behaviour.Thus it is apparent that visual beacons may also be used in order tocause a modification of camera behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a camera havinga behaviour memory for storing at least one behaviour for controllingautomated image analysis and capture of images by the camera and abehaviour controller for controlling input and output of behavioursbetween the behaviour memory and another camera having a behaviourmemory.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a behaviourserver for storing a plurality of camera behaviours, wherein the serveris arranged to establish a communications channel with a camera, whereinthe user can upload a camera behaviour to the server.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a method ofmodifying the operation of a camera, the method comprising the steps ofmonitoring the position of the camera, and in response to reaching apredetermined geographical position, performing at least one actionselected from implementing a new behaviour and alerting the user to theoption of implementing a new behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a method ofmodifying the operation of a camera having a behaviour memory, themethod comprising the steps of monitoring the presence of beacons, andin response to being in the presence of a beacon, performing at leastone action selected from implementing a new behaviour and alerting auser to the option of implementing a new behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a camera havinga behaviour memory for storing at least one behaviour for controllingautomated image analysis and capture of images by the camera, whereinthe camera is responsive to geographical position, and in response toreaching a predetermined geographical position, the camera carries outat least one of implementing a new behaviour and alerting a user to theoption of implementing a new behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a method ofmodifying the operation of a camera having a behaviour memory, themethod comprising the steps of monitoring the presence of beacons, andin response to being in the presence of a beacon, performing at leastone action selected from implementing a new behaviour and alerting auser to the option of implementing a new behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a camera havinga behaviour memory for storing at least one behaviour for controllingautomated image analysis and capture of images by the camera, whereinthe camera is responsive to beacons, and in response to being in thepresence of a beacon, the camera carries out one action selected from alist comprising implementing a new behaviour and alerting a user to theoption of implementing a new behaviour.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a behaviourbeacon arranged to transmit a signal that can be received andinterpreted by suitably configured mobile devices for invoking a changein operation.

According to alternative embodiments, there is provided a mobile devicehaving a behaviour memory for storing at least one behaviour forcontrolling automated image analysis and capture of images by the mobiledevice, and a behaviour exchange controller for controlling the exchangeof behaviours with the behaviour memory, including output of behavioursfrom the behaviour memory.

A camera, generally designated 2, is shown in FIG. 1. The cameracomprises an image capture element 4, such as, but not limited to, acharge coupled device array in association with an optical system 6. Theoptical system 6 generally includes a lens 8 (which may be a compoundlens) together with a lens focus mechanism and an aperture controlmechanism, both of which are commonly provided on cameras and hence donot need to be described further here. The images captured on the imagecapture element 4 are provided to a data processor 10. The dataprocessor 10 provides an output to the aperture and focus controller inorder to ensure that intensity and focus control are performed inaccordance with known photographic principles. The data processor 10also has bidirectional communication with a user interface 12 whichtypically comprises a liquid crystal display screen for displayingimages and menus, together with cursor control and other buttons orswitches to enable the user to input their desires and choices into thecamera. The user interface 12 will also typically include a zoom controlbutton and a shutter button. Thus, the user interface 12 is typical ofthat found in electronic cameras. The data processor 10 is also incommunication with a behaviour memory 14 which can store data definingrules used to control the camera 2, and in particular to controlautomated image capture by the camera 2 in response to detection by thecamera's sensor (including its image capture components) of one or moreevents as specified by the rules. Such events may, for example, bespecified sporting activities observed by the image capture apparatus orphysical motion of the camera 2 resulting from movement made by a personwho is wearing the camera 2. The data specifying the rules prescribingthe actions/responses made by the camera 2 to various events can beregarded as defining a “camera behaviour”. The data processor 10 isarranged to control the import or export of camera 2 behaviours to orfrom the behaviour memory 14, and also execute camera behaviours suchthat the camera can automatically capture images in accordance with therules of a camera behaviour contained within the behaviour memory 14.The data processor 10 is also in communication with a positioningdetermining device 16 which typically comprises a GPS module. The dataprocessor 10 is also in communication with telecommunications devices 18and 20. Telecommunications device 18 may, for example, be an infrareddevice, a Bluetooth device or other local communication device which candetect the presence of local behaviour beacons and communicate with themto perform the download, and optionally upload, of behaviours. Thetelecommunications device 20 is typically a mobile telephone componentsuch that the camera 2 can access remote libraries via the mobiletelephone infrastructure. The data processor 10 is also in communicationwith an image store 22 which is typically subdivided into a long termimage store 24 and a short term image store 26. Images which have beencaptured for subsequent extraction are stored in the image store 24,whereas the temporary image store 26 functions as a working area suchthat the evolution of events may be analysed in order to determinewhether they are “interesting”. The data processor 10 is also connectedto a data exchange bus 30 such that physical connection may be madebetween the camera and some other computing device for thedownload/extraction of stored images from the image store 24 or themodification of behaviours directly from the computing device (notshown). The data processor 10 may also be connected to motion sensors 34(such as inertial sensors or gyroscopes) so as to be responsive to usermovement. In the present embodiment the processor 10 is also adapted tocontrol the input/output facilities provided by the wireless (in thisexample Bluetooth) port 18, GPRS connection port 20 or the USB port 30in order to load a camera behaviour into the behaviour memory 14. Thusthe processor controls the input of behaviours to the behaviour memory14, with behaviours usually being input pursuant to downloading themfrom an external source (which will be described in more detailsubsequently), and the output of behaviours from the behaviour memory14. Output of a behaviour includes the transfer of a behaviour to abehaviour store (i.e. uploading a behaviour), deletion of a behaviour,or depending on camera configuration the transfer of a behaviour to afurther memory where the rules are interpreted by the data processor 10such that the camera 2 operates in accordance with the behaviour.

In a preferred embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the camera 2 can communicatedirectly with a similar camera 36 which also comprises a data processor,behaviour memory 37 and a communications device. This communicationsdevice can be an infrared or Bluetooth device, mobile telephonecomponent, or a port for a cable connection. Thus the camera 2 cantransfer behaviours to and from the behaviour memory 37 of the similarcamera 36 over a communications link 38. Similarly, the similar camera36 can transfer behaviours to and from the behaviour memory 14 of thecamera 2. In this way, the two cameras 2, 36 can exchange behaviours.Such an exchange may require interaction by the user of one or both thecameras 2, 36.

In one embodiment, the behaviour memory 14 is a removable memory cardsuch as a flash memory card or the like. The memory card containing oneor more behaviours can be removed from one camera and inserted into afurther camera which implements a behaviour from the memory card. Thus auser may have two cameras, for example a compact camera for everydayshots and a high-quality but larger camera for specialist photography.The user can easily implement the same behaviour within the cameras byinserting the memory card into the camera being used.

It should be noted that workers have already demonstrated that wearablecameras are capable of automatically detecting events. Detection of suchevents is usually performed using time series analysis methods such asthe hidden Markov model. This model has been developed for use in voicerecognition systems, see Lawrence R. Rabiner, “A Tutorial on HiddenMarkov Models and Selected Applications in Speech Recognition”,proceedings of the IEEE, 77(2):257-286, 1989. Hidden Markov models havesuccessfully been used, see for example Clarkson and Pentland,“Unsupervised Clustering of Ambulatory Audio and Video” (reference givenhereinabove) and Yamato, Ohia, Ishii, “Recognising Human Action in TimeSequential Images using Hidden Markov Models” proceedings of ComputerVision and Pattern Recognition conference, pages 379-385, 1992. Thehidden Markov model is a stochastic space model of the temporalstructure of the input variables. These models are usually trained onexample patterns. Thus, in one particular mode of operation a hiddenMarkov model could be trained to detect the characteristic head motionand audio intensity during a tennis match and another to detect thesituation when a point was scored, which is most likely characterised bythe typical cheer of the crowd and the relatively steady head motion.When the camera is at a tennis match (which can be categorised as aplace or an event) and these two hidden Markov models (and perhapsothers) are matched against the stream of sensor data, for example datafrom the microphone 32, from a motion sensor 34 (such as, but notlimited to, a gyroscope) or from other user sensors (not shown) whichmay interface with the camera via the telecommunications device 18 (FIG.1), the camera 2 can infer when a particular event has occurred.

Each hidden Markov model can be used as a classifier yielding aprobability that a particular situation that they have been trained onis occurring. By running several such classifiers in parallel andcomparing the relative probabilities the camera can detect situations ofinterest. Thus, in the situation described above where the roar of thecrowd is detected, the second Markov model would yield the highestprobability when a point has recently been scored and the camera couldthen save the last 5 or 10 seconds of video from the buffer 26 to thelong term image store 24.

In accordance with one embodiment, the various models, whether in theirentirety or whether in a parametised form can be transferred to and fromthe behaviour memory 14. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an arrangementin which a user 40 wearing the camera 2 is travelling in a directionindicated by the arrow A. During this motion the user passes a modelbeacon 44 which stores a model therein and has a data processor and acommunications device such that the beacon 44 can establishcommunication with the camera 2. The beacon 44 could simply repeatedlytransmit a descriptor of the model and the model itself using a highbandwidth interface such that the entire download of the model could beeasily accomplished during the duration of the time that the use is incommunication range with the beacon 44. Alternatively, the beacon 44 maybe in communication with a model server 46 via a further communicationspath 48. Thus the beacon 44 serves as a local point of presence for theserver 46. In this scenario the camera uses the beacon 44 to establishcommunication with the server 46. Such a scenario is useful where theserver 46 owner wishes to authenticate the camera and user's identity(which may be stored in a further memory area within the camera 2) inorder that the server owner can seek payment from the camera user beforeauthorising download of a modified behaviour to the camera 2.

A process where the camera 2 authenticates with a remote server, eithervia the cellular telephone infrastructure or via a local point ofpresence is shown in FIG. 4. The process commences at step 60 where thecamera 2 and server establish secure communications with one another andthen authenticate identities, for example by exchange of a secret whichhad been defined during a prior registration process with the server.Following authentication, control passes to step 62 where a menu, or ahierarchical menu of options is displayed to the user. Such a menu canbe displayed by use of the LCD device incorporated within the camera.The user can use the cursor buttons provided on the camera 2 in order toselect a desired behaviour from the menu at step 64. Control then passesto step 66 where the appropriate behaviour is downloaded from the server(which acts as a library or a repository of camera behaviour) to thecamera 2. The download may include a hand shaking process such that dataintegrity and completion of the download can be verified. Once thedownload is complete, control optionally passes to step 68 where theuser's account is debited and from then to step 70 where the process isterminated by performing a hand off on the communications channel andclosing the channel. Due to the limited capabilities for displaying textof the LCD device of a camera 2, a simple drop down memory of the typeshown in FIG. 5 may be used. Thus in FIG. 5 sports behaviours have beenselected and the options “tennis”, “golf”, and “skiing” are provided.The user uses cursor control buttons on the back of the camera 2 tohighlight the appropriate option and then manipulates a further camerabutton in order to confirm their choice. Of course, a camera 2 may havea behaviour memory of sufficient size to store several behaviours. Insuch a case the user may use a menu, of the type shown in FIG. 5, forexample, to select a behaviour from the ones stored in the behaviourmemory.

FIGS. 6-10 illustrate flow diagrams for controlling operation of one ormore camera behaviours in various exemplary embodiments. In this regard,each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, whichcomprises one or more executable instructions for implementing thespecified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in somealternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occurout of the order noted in FIGS. 6-10 or may include additional functionswithout departing significantly from the functionality of theembodiment. For example, two blocks shown in succession in FIGS. 6-10may in fact be executed substantially concurrently, the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, or some of the blocks maynot be executed in all instances, depending upon the functionalityinvolved, as will be further clarified hereinbelow. All suchmodifications and variations are intended to be included herein withinthe scope of this disclosure

As noted hereinbefore, in what is either an alternative manner ofselecting/downloading a behaviour, or a way of augmenting a behaviouralready selected or downloaded the camera 2 can be arranged to changeits behaviour in response to geographical position. FIG. 6 illustrates aflow chart for performing this with one exemplary embodiment. Control iscommenced at step 80 and then passes to step 82 where the GPS system isinterrogated to discover the current position of the camera 2. This isthen compared with position descriptors associated with behaviours heldin the behaviour memory 14 (which could be either a modification of abehaviour already stored in the memory 14, or downloading a newbehaviour). If the camera 2 is in a specified area or region as definedby the behaviour descriptors, then control passes to step 84 where atest is made to see whether the user has set the camera 2 to enableautomatic update of behaviour. If step 84 determines that automaticupdate has not been set, then control passes to step 86 where the useris informed that a new behaviour is appropriate and from then on controlpasses to step 88 where the user is asked whether the new behaviourshould be implemented. If the user indicates that it should be, thencontrol passes to step 90 where the new behaviour is applied, otherwisecontrol is passed to step 92 which represents the end of the procedure.Returning to step 84, if behaviour update has been set to occurautomatically, then control passes directly from step 84 to step 90.

Returning to step 82, if the user is not in a specified predefined areafor which they have predefined the behaviour to be used, then controlpasses to step 100 where the telecommunications device 18 isinterrogated to see if the camera 2 is near a beacon. Furthermore recentvideo images may also be scanned in order to determine if a visualbeacon has been detected. If the camera 2 is not near a beacon, thencontrol is passed to step 92, otherwise control is passed to step 102where information about the update is obtained from the beacon, if suchinformation is available. From step 102 control is passed to step 104where a test is made to see if the user has set the camera 2 forautomatic update. If the user has set the camera 2 for automatic update,then control is passed to step 106 where the behaviour update isdownloaded and applied, and from there control passes to step 92.Returning to step 104, if the camera 2 has not been set to automaticallyupdate its behaviour, then control is passed to step 108 where a promptis issued to the user and from then to step 110 where a test is made tosee whether the user has authorised the update. If the user authorisesthe update then control is passed to step 106, otherwise control ispassed to step 92.

The procedure shown in FIG. 6 can be repeated periodically in order tocheck whether the camera 2 behaviour should be modified.

Rather than merely relying on the proximity of a beacon the user canalso use the camera interface in order to force a connection via themobile telephone component to a suitable enabled server 46 in order toinvoke the procedure shown in FIG. 4 or indeed to instruct the camera 2to upload its current behaviour to a space reserved for that user.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram 700 for controlling operation of oneor more camera behaviours in an exemplary embodiment. The process startsat block 702. At block 704 position of the camera is monitored. At block706, a determination is made whether a predetermined geographicalposition is reached. If not, the process returns to block 704. If yes,the process proceeds to block 708. At block 708, a new behaviour isimplemented. The process ends at block 710.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram 800 for controlling operation of oneor more camera behaviours in another exemplary embodiment. The processstarts at block 802. At block 804 position of the camera is monitored.At block 806, a determination is made whether a predeterminedgeographical position is reached. If not, the process returns to block804. If yes, the process proceeds to block 808. At block 808, a user isalerted to the option of implementing a new behaviour. The process endsat block 810.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram 900 for controlling operation of oneor more camera behaviours in another exemplary embodiment. The processstarts at block 902. At block 904 the presence of at least one beacon ismonitored. At block 906, a determination is made whether the camera isin the presence of the beacon. If not, the process returns to block 904.If yes, the process proceeds to block 908. At block 908, a new behaviouris implemented. The process ends at block 910.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flow diagram 1000 for controlling operation of oneor more camera behaviours in another exemplary embodiment. The processstarts at block 1002. At block 1004 the presence of at least one beaconis monitored. At block 1006, a determination is made whether the camerais in the presence of the beacon. If not, the process returns to block1004. If yes, the process proceeds to block 1008. At block 1008, a useris alerted to the option of implementing a new behaviour. The processends at block 1010.

The camera 2 can be arranged to modify its behaviour model, eitherthrough unsupervised teaching (see Clarkson and Pentland) or bysupervised learning wherein the user participates in training of thecamera 2. The camera 2 can therefore associate a confidence value withthe behaviour implemented within the camera 2. The camera 2 can uploadboth the behaviour and the confidence value when the camera 2 ownerwishes to store the behaviour. The upload process can be furthermodified such that automatic and periodic uploads of camera behaviouroccur. Uploads of behaviours may be inhibited when the confidence valueis below a predetermined threshold, or such uploads may require specificuser intervention. The behaviour and image analysis could be performedin a processing unit remote from the image capture components. Thus, ifsufficient bandwidth was available, a remote camera 2 could transmit itsvideo back to a computing device which could then perform the analysisdescribed herein. Alternatively, a camera 2 could store video into astorage device, and the video store could be analysed at a later dateagain to automatically select images using the processes describedherein.

A camera 2 embodiment may require the user to identify themselves, forexample via a password or biometric data (iris scanning can beimplemented within a camera 2) before implementation of exchange (uploador download) of camera behaviours is authorised. This security mechanismsystem may be implemented by the data processor.

It is thus possible to provide a mechanism for exchanging camerabehaviours with an autonomous camera 2 embodiment.

1. A camera comprising: a behaviour memory that stores at least onebehaviour controlling automated image analysis and capture of images bythe camera; and a behaviour controller that controls output ofbehaviours from the behaviour memory.
 2. The camera as claimed in claim1, in which the camera uploads at least one behaviour to a behaviourlibrary.
 3. The camera as claimed in claim 1, in which the behaviourcontroller is adapted to upload at least one behaviour to another camerahaving another behaviour memory.
 4. The camera as claimed in claim 1,wherein the behaviour controller also controls input of at least onebehaviour to the behaviour memory.
 5. The camera according to claim 4,wherein the behaviour controller is adapted to control at least oneinput of a behaviour from a source external of the camera.
 6. The cameraaccording to claim 5, wherein the behaviour controller is adapted toinput the behaviour from the source external of the camera by obtainingdata from the source external to modify the behaviour within thebehaviour memory.
 7. The camera as claimed in claim 5, wherein thebehaviour controller is adapted to input the behaviour from anothercamera having another behaviour memory.
 8. The camera according to claim1, wherein the behaviour controller is adapted to modify a behaviourwithin the behaviour memory using a learning process involving a user.9. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the behaviour memory isremovable.
 10. The camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the behaviourcontroller is responsive to indications of geographical position. 11.The camera as claimed in claim 10, wherein the behaviour controller isresponsive to beacons placed at events or places to indicate that thecamera is at an event.
 12. The camera as claimed in claim 10, whereinthe behaviour controller is responsive to beacons placed at events orplaces to indicate that the camera is at a specific place.
 13. Thecamera as claimed in claim 11, in which the behaviour controllerdownloads a behaviour from the beacons.
 14. The camera as claimed inclaim 13, in which prior to implementing a behaviour, the behaviourcontroller checks with one of the user and a download rule base.
 15. Thecamera as claimed in claim 13, in which prior to downloading abehaviour, the behaviour controller checks with one of the user and adownload rule base.
 16. The camera as claimed in claim 10, in which thebehaviour controller is responsive to a GPS positioning system andwherein behaviours can be invoked in response to the position of thecamera.
 17. The camera as claimed in claim 4, in which the cameradownloads behaviours from a behaviour library.
 18. The camera as claimedin claim 17, in which the behaviour library requires registration andthe camera must authenticate with a library access control prior tobeing able to obtain behaviours from the library.
 19. The camera asclaimed in claim 17, in which the behaviour library requires payment andthe camera must authenticate with a library access control prior tobeing able to obtain behaviours from the library.
 20. The camera asclaimed in claim 1, in which the camera includes a behaviourinterpreter.
 21. The camera as claimed in claim 1, wherein the behaviourcontroller includes a security system that prevents unauthorised exportof behaviours.
 22. The camera as claimed in claim 21, in which thesecurity system requires a user to identify themselves by revealing ashared secret to the security system in order to initiate export of thebehaviour.
 23. The camera as claimed in claim 21, in which the securitysystem is responsive to biometric data of a user.
 24. The camera asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the behaviour controller includes a securitysystem preventing unauthorised initiation of behaviours.
 25. The cameraas claimed in claim 24, in which the security system requires a user toidentify themselves by revealing a shared secret to the security systemin order to initiate use of a behaviour.
 26. The camera as claimed inclaim 24, in which the security system is responsive to biometric dataof a user.
 27. The camera as claimed in claim 1, further including animage processor that analyses scenes viewed by the camera in accordancewith instructions contained in the behaviour and on the basis of theanalysing whether to capture the scene.
 28. The camera as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the camera is portable.
 29. The camera as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the camera is wearable.
 30. The camera as claimed inclaim 1, further including a telecommunications device that exchangesdata with one of a local beacon and a remote computing device.
 31. Thecamera as claimed in claim 1, in which the camera is capable ofmodifying its behaviour, and associating a confidence value with thebehaviour, and in which the camera outputs the confidence value with thebehaviour.
 32. The camera as claimed in claim 31, in which output of thebehaviour is inhibited if the confidence value is below a predeterminedthreshold.
 33. The camera as claimed in claim 31, which output of thebehaviour requires user intervention if the confidence value is below apredetermined threshold.
 34. A camera comprising: a behaviour memorythat stores at least one behaviour that controls automated imageanalysis and capture of images by the camera; and a behaviour controllerthat controls input and output of behaviours between the behaviourmemory and another camera having another behaviour memory.
 35. Abehaviour server that stores a plurality of camera behaviours, whereinthe behaviour server is arranged to establish a communications channelwith a camera, and a user can upload a camera behaviour to the behaviourserver.
 36. The behaviour server as claimed in claim 35, which allows acamera user to select the camera behaviour for download to the camera.37. A method of modifying operation of a camera having a behaviourmemory, the method comprising; monitoring a position of the camera; andin response to reaching a predetermined geographical position,implementing a new behaviour.
 38. A method of modifying operation of acamera having a behaviour memory, the method comprising; monitoring aposition of the camera; and in response to reaching a predeterminedgeographical position, alerting a user to the option of implementing anew behaviour.
 39. A camera comprising a behaviour memory storing atleast one behaviour that controls at least automated image analysis andcapture of images by the camera, wherein the camera is responsive togeographical position, and in response to reaching a predeterminedgeographical position, the camera implements a new behaviour.
 40. Acamera comprising a behaviour memory storing at least one behaviour thatcontrols at least automated image analysis and capture of images by thecamera, wherein the camera is responsive to geographical position, andin response to reaching a predetermined geographical position, thecamera alerts a user to the option of implementing a new behaviour. 41.A method of modifying operation of a camera having a behaviour memory,the method comprising: monitoring presence of at least one beacon; andin response to being in the presence of the beacon, implementing a newbehaviour.
 42. The method as claimed in claim 41, in which the newbehaviour is downloaded from the beacon.
 43. A method of modifyingoperation of a camera having a behaviour memory, the method comprising:monitoring presence of at least one beacon; and in response to being inthe presence of the beacon, alerting a user to the option ofimplementing a new behaviour.
 44. A camera having a behaviour memorythat stores at least one behaviour controlling automated image analysisand capture of images by the camera, wherein the camera is responsive toat least one beacon, and in response to being in the presence of thebeacon, the camera implements a new behaviour.
 45. The camera as claimedin claim 44, wherein the new behaviour is downloaded from the beacon.46. A camera having a behaviour memory that stores at least onebehaviour controlling automated image analysis and capture of images bythe camera, wherein the camera is responsive to at least one beacon, andin response to being in the presence of the beacon, the camera alerts auser to the option of implementing a new behaviour.
 47. A behaviourbeacon arranged to transmit a signal that can be received andinterpreted by suitably configured mobile devices for invoking a changein operation of an image capture device.
 48. The behaviour beacon asclaimed in claim 47, in which suitably configured mobile devices includea behaviour memory.
 49. A mobile device comprising: a behaviour memorythat stores at least one behaviour for controlling automated imageanalysis and capture of images by the mobile device; and a behaviourexchange controller that controls the exchange of behaviours with thebehaviour memory, including output of behaviours from the behaviourmemory.
 50. A system of modifying operation of a camera having abehaviour memory, comprising: means for monitoring presence of at leastone beacon; and in response to being in the presence of the beacon,means for implementing a new behaviour.
 51. The system as claimed inclaim 50, further comprising means for downloading from the beacon thenew behaviour.
 52. The system as claimed in claim 50, further comprisingmeans for alerting a user to the option of implementing the newbehaviour.